Browsing by Subject "modified atmosphere"

Fresh cut vegetables are fresh vegetables which are processed by peeling, washing, cutting, packaging and storing. All these steps are influencing the quality and shelf life of the fresh cut produce. The fresh cut vegetables and the raw chicken meat have different packaging requirements. The fresh cut vegetables are normally packed into permeable packaging with low oxygen concentration, whereas the chicken meat is commonly packed into tight oxygen-free packaging. The literature review focused on the factors which influencing the quality and shelf life of the fresh cut vegetables. The literature review also focused on the food and packaging technological tools for maintaining the quality of the ready-to-cook fresh cut vegetable and raw meat products. In the first part of the experiment study, the effect of the high barrier and the micro perforated film on the quality of fresh cut root vegetables (sweet potato, swede, parsnip and carrot) were studied. In the second part of the experimental study, the effect of the micro perforated film, tray comparting and a lingonberry juice treatment of chicken meat on the quality of the ready-to-cook fresh cut root vegetable and raw chicken meat product was studied. In a 13-day storage period, the changes in colour, firmness and gas concentration in a packaging, weight loss, sensory acceptance and microbial quality was investigated. The gas transmission rate was higher with the micro perforated film. The overall sensory acceptability of the root vegetable cubes packed with micro perforated film was under the appointed limit in 13-day storage. Nevertheless, no difference in the quality of fresh cut root vegetables packed with the high barrier or the micro perforated film was detected. The concentrations of the yeast and moulds were over the guideline value (1000 cfu/g) in both the fresh cut root vegetables packed with the high barrier and the micro perforated film and ready-to-cook fresh cut vegetable and chicken meat product in a four-day storage time. The overall acceptance of the ready-to-cook fresh cut root vegetable and raw chicken meat product maintained in 13-day storage time. The total aerobic bacteria content of the lingonberry treated chicken and fresh cut root vegetable cubes were over the guideline value 1·108 cfu/g in the 13-day storage time. The comparting of the tray didn’t have an effect on the quality of the lingonberry treated chicken meat and fresh cut root vegetable cubes. The study showed the quality of the used raw material is important to maintain the quality of the fresh cut produce. The modified atmosphere created by fresh cut root vegetables seems to be enough to maintain the microbial and sensory quality of raw chicken meat and fresh cut root vegetable cubes.